Circuit controlling device



Dec.l 24, 1935. L, E. KING CIRCUIT CONTROLLING DEVICE Original Filed Jan. 9, 1931 In ven Zar Lmgd Heng B9 MM@ iorne Patented Dec. 24, 1935 cmcm eoN'moLLlNG Device moya E. mns, Berwyn, IIL

original application January 9,1931, serial No. 507,587, now raient No. 1,922,163. Divided and this imputation Junio, 1933, serial No. 679,823

12 Claims. (Ul. 20D- 112) My invention relates to an improved construction of circuit controlling devices responsive to abnormally high and abnormally low current iiow or voltage in the controlling circuit, depending upon whether the control desired is to be determined by tlie. emount oi current ilowing in the l controlling circuit, or the voltegeror" the controlling circuit. Y

My invention broadly consists of e, container which preferably `is completely enclosed, in which there is e liquid conductor and e. doet which is responsive to megnetic' action', together with en electro-magnetic winding which preferably is outeide ol the oonteiner, :for controlling the position ci the float in the liquid conductor, circuit ternrtnels being provided in the conteiner `lor closure or operetion ti-ie noel; reeclies predetermined positions. More specifically, the structure referred to provides or the cloeure or operation of drst electric contects when the fleet reeelies e. predetermined position end for the elo eure or operation of second electricconteets when doet reeclies e predetermined low oosiftlori. The closure or oreretion of tire electric contacts is susceptible use for controlling protective or other devices oi various loelorv referred The present application is e divisional eenli-s cetion of my coioending United Sintes applica tion, Serial No. 507,58l,iiled Jennery il, will, nce? .Potent No. Legal letter epplioetion in turn being e divisionei epplicetion or my earlier 'United States application 'Seriell No. 653,299, filed July' 23, i923-, letter epplicetion become Peta ent No.

lily invention eeet be understood by refer-- ence to tile eeoorcoenylng drawing snowing e, preferred embodiment tliereo in which e, verticali, sectional View oi improved control mechanism responsive to abnormal elec= trioel conditions in supply conductor this or voltage, deoendingunon how the ectueting coil oi tlie device is Wound md connected. 'in this construction the device is provided with en octueting coil let through which e. tube lili of insulating materiel, for erle-mole glass, extends, the lcoil being preferably rncveole axially of the tube, es illustrated by dotted lines, to adjust the ection oi the device. The tube iti is provided with e lor/er terminal 182 and en upper terminal H33 of conf ducting material projecting through the ends oi decreeses to e. predetermined velue lower tic the tube and in electrical connection with protecting caps IM and |05 carried by the ends of the tube. The upper terminal it@ is branched on its inner end to form two contacts w3c and 1031 the former being axially disposed and the latter extending adjacent the inner side .wall of the tube lill. The tube lili contains e, liquid conductor, for example mercury, es indiceted'et it and in the liquid conductor e, float of megnetic materiel, for exemple iron, is disposed es indicated et Wi. The :floot itl is provided et its upper end with o, cup ilo containing e liquid conductor, for exemple, mercury es indicated et it. 0n its outer surface, the doet lill' is grcoved longitudinali?,7 es indicated et lille, seid grooves being lined with insulating materiel eo tiret the contect tilde mer entend into one ci seid grooves Without melting electrical contact with the i'ioet :doet oerrles et its lower end e, perforated dico il@ Secured in see-ced rele@ tion to tlfie end of the floot er o ceutrei :stud lli,

seid dier: preferably lieving uermrdiy end dor/'nw wei-diy projecting edge es indioeted. The parte of the device ere so proportioned, end the level or the liquid conductor is so tellen, that under rior? el conditions 0;" current do through the actuating Winding contacts M53@ end tdr32; reni be out Contact with tire liquiz. conductors and MS reeriectlvel0 For this relation oi the parte, 'with normel flow through the winding lili), tlie lient irtends Sonie distance :alcove the upper end of toe eoll end its lower end le within the lower end of seid coil. if new tlie current flowing lirougli tlie coll the normal velue, tile magnetic pull on the doo is decreased eirdciently to permit it to me imtll the @ente-et meres electrical connecm tion with tine conductor tilt, thus @keine the con= trol ,circuit extending from the terminals tot? o through the coil it@ increased oliove itc nora i mel velue until pre eterrolned velue of? current le reached, tice magnetic pull on the doelt il ie increased tiene drerrring it dotrnrrerdly tile liquid conducto: i, for which condition the displaced liquid conductor rines around the iioot until mekee electrical contoct the Contact 3832i, thus closing the control circuit en tending from tl'le terroinele lili end t oe understood, tiret or changing the relation oi' the parte shown in Fig. l, eo the doet id? 'le nor molly below tile oeil lill?, en elonorrnei increase o current rior: reise the doet end close tlie control circuit through ttlie contact w3c, end en abnormal decrease' of current iiow will permit the floot to corremondingly eine end close the control circuit through the contact MSB.

The device just descri'oed may be constructed to actuel-,e the control circuit for abnormally nigh and low current velues in the protected circuit @n other trend ii 'die current doe/*lng determined by the amount of clearance between by so winding thecoil i that it may be included in series in said circuit and the same device may be employed to protect a circuit against abnormally low and abnormally high voltage by winding the coil |00 so that it may be connected between the conductors of the circuit to be protected and subjected to the voltage between said conductors.

It will be noted that the disc I I0 extends nearly to the inner surface of the tubev I0 l, as a result of which motion of the disc either upwardly or downwardly in the liquid conductor, is retarded and a time element of'operation is introduced the disc and the tube I 0l and the size of the apertures through the disc. In this manner closure of the control circuit is prevented for'either a momentary increase or a momentary decrease of current ow from its normal value, although vices of my present invention are particularly ,adaptedfor controlling the opening and closing of electric circuits in which relatively small amounts of current are ilowing or are intended .to ilow and as to circuits of that kind, my circuit controlling devices may control the openingand closing of the desired circuits directly; where however the'circuits to be ultimately -protected are circuits in which relatively large currents are to flow, orthe voltage of the circuits is considerable or both, it is desirable to directly control said circuits by secondary protective devices,` for example of the kinds described in my other applications referred to, which secondary protective devices however may readily be controlled as to their operation, by the circuits directly controlled by the circuit controlling devices of my present invention.

While I have shown by invention in the particular embodiment above described, it will be understood that I do not limit myself to this exact construction as I may employ equivalents known to the art atthe time of the filing of this application without departing fromthe scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a circuit closing device, the combination of a tubular container, liquid conductor in said container, a oat of magnetic material in said conductor, a first terminal extending through said container into the lower part of said conductor, a second terminal extending through-said container for connection with said liquid con-A ductor by movement of said oat from its midposition in a first direction, a third terminal extending through said container for connection with said liquid conductor by movement of said float from its mid-position in a second direction, each of said second and said third terminals being4 out of contact with said liquid conductor when the other of said second.and said-third terminals isin contact with said liquid conductor and both of said second and said third terminals being out of contact with said liquid conductor for the mid-position of said iloat, and an electromagnetic winding for holding said oat in its accusa mid-position for current flow of a iirst amount through said winding and for moving said oat in said first and said second directions,l f or` decreased and increased current flow respectively through said winding. 5 2. In a circuit closing device, the combination of a tubular container, liquid conductor in said container, a oat 'of magnetic material in said conductor, a iirst terminal extending through said container into' the lower part of said conl0 ductor, a second terminal extending through said container for connection with said liquid conductor by movement of said iloat from its midposition in a i'lrst direction, a third terminal extending through said container for connection l5 with said liquid conductor by movement of said iloat from its mid-position in a second direction, each of said second and said third terminals being out of contact with said liquid conductor -when the other of lsaid second and said third terminals is in contact with said liquid conductor and both of said second and said third terminals being out of contact with said liquid conductor for the mid-position of said oat, and an electromagnetic winding for holding said oat in its mid-position for current iiow of a first amount through said winding and for moving said iloat in said first and said second directions for decreased and increased current flow respectively through said winding, said winding surrounding said container and movable vertically thereon to secure a desired amount of magnetic action on said float.

3. In a circuit closing device, the combination of a tubular container, liquid conductor in said container, aoat of magnetic material in said conductor, a 'first' terminal extending through said container into the lower part of said conductor, a secondv terminal extending through said container for connection with said liquidcon- 40 ductor by movement of said oat from its midposition in a rst direction, a third terminal ex-4 tending through said container for connection with said liquid conductor by lmovement of said oat from its mid-position in a second direction, each of said second and said third terminals being out of contact with said liquid conductor when the other of said second and said third terminals is in contact with said liquid conductor and both of said second and said third terminals being out of contact with said liquid conductor` for the mid-position of said oat, and an electromagnetic winding for holding said float in its mid-position for current ow of a rst amountv through said-winding and for moving said oat in said first and said second directions for decreased and increased current ilow respectively through said winding, said float having a central recess to receive one of said second and third terminals and a longitudinal clearance space to receivethe other of said second and third terminals.

4. In a circuit closing device, the combination of a tubular container, liquid conductor in said container, a iloat of magnetic material in said conductor, a rst terminal extending through said container into the lower part of said conductor, asecond terminal extending through said container for connection with said liquid conductor by movement of said float from its mid- 70 each of said second andsaidthird terminals bel ing out of contact with said liquid conductor when the other of said second and said third terminals is in contact with said liquid conductor and both of said second and said third terminals being out of contact with said liquid conductor for the midposition of said float, and an electromagnetic winding for holding said float in its mid-position for current flow of a first amount through said winding and for moving said iloat in said ilrst and said second directions for decreased and increased current ilow respectively through said winding, said float carrying a cup containing liquid conductor for engaging one of said second and third terminals by upward movement of said float.

'5. In a circuit controlling device, the combination of a container, liquid conductor in said container, a float in said liquid conductor, an electromagnetic winding for moving said float vertically in said liquid conductor, and two electric contacts for electrical contact with said liquid conductor by upward and downward :movements respectively of said float each of said contacts being out of contact with said liquid conductor when the other of said contactsis in contact with said liquid conductor, said iloat carrying a cup containing liquid conductor for engaging one of said contacts by upward movement of said oat.

6. In a circuit controllingdevice, the combicontainer, a iloat in said liquid conductor, an

` electromagnetic winding for moving said float vertically in said liquid conductor. and two electric contacts for electrical contact with said liquid conductor by upward and downward movements respectively of said oat each of said contacts being out of contact with said liquid conductor when the other of said contacts is in contact with said liquid conductor, said float carrying a cup containing liquid conductor for engaging one of said contacts by upward movement of said. float, said contacts being electrically connected with each other.

7. In a circuit controlling device, the combination of a vertically disposed tubular container, liquid conductor in said container, a cylindrical iloat in said container and having its outer surface adjacent the inner longitudinal surface of said container. electromagnetic means for moving said float, said float carrying at its upper end a cup containing liquid conductor', a mst-electric contact extending into said cup for engagement with the liquid conductor therein by upward movement of said float, said float having a longitudinal groove in its cylindrical surface, and a second electric contact extending into said groove for engagement with the liquid conductor in said container by downward movement of said float.

8. In a circuit controlling device, the combination of a vertically disposed tubular container, liquid conductor in said container, a cylindrical float in said container and having its outer surface adjacent the inner longitudinal surface of said container, electromagnetic means for moving said float, said iloat carrying at. its upper end a cup containing liquid conductor, a iirst electric contact extending into said cup for-engagement with the. liquid conductor therein by upward' movement of said float, said iloat having a longitudinal groove in its cylindrical surface, a second electric contact extending into said groove for engagement with the liquid conductor in said container by downward movement of said float, and insulating material between the surface of said groove and said second contact. 5

9. In a circuit controlling device, the combination of a vertically. disposed tubular container, liquid conductor in said container, a cylindrical float in said container and having its outer surface adjacent the inner longitudinal surface of l0 said container, electromagnetic means for moving said float, said float carrying at its upper end a cup containing liquid'conductor, a ilrst electric contact extending into said'cup for engagement with the liquid conductor therein by upward l5 movement of said iloat, said iloat having a longitudinal groove in its cylindrical surface, a second electric contact extending into said groove for engagement with the liquid conductor in said 'container by downward movement of said float. 20

-liquid conductor in said container, a iloat in said container for vertical movement therein, electromagnetic means for moving said oat, said float carrying at its upper end a cup containing liquid conductor, a iirst electric contact extending into 80 said cup for engagement with' the liquid conductor therein by upward movement of said float, there being a vertically extending clearance space between said float and said container, and a second electric contact extending into said clear- $5 ance space for engagement with the liquid conductor in said container by downward movement of said float. Y

l1. In a circuit controlling device, the combination of a vertically disposed tubular container, 40

liquid conductor in said container, a iloat in said container for vertical movement therein, electromagnetic means for moving said float, said float carrying at its upper end a cup containing liquid conductor, a rst electric contact extending into said cup for engagement with the liquid conductor therein by upward movement of said iloat, there being a vertically extending clearance space between said oat and said container, and a second electric contact extending into said clearance space for engagement with the liquid conductor in said container by downward movement of saidiloat, and insulating material between said iioat and said second contact.

12. In a circuit controlling device, thev combination of a vertically disposed tubular container, liquid conductor in said container, a float in saidcontainer for vertical movement therein, electromagnetic means for moving said oat, said float carrying at its upper end a cup containing liq- 00 uid conductor, a first electric contact extending into said cup for engagement with the liquid conductor therein by upward movement of said float, there being a vertically extending clearance space between said float and said container. and a sec- 55 ond electric contact lextending into said clearance space for engagement with the liquid conductor in said container by downward movement of said float, and insulating material between said oat and said second contact, said contacts being electrically connected with each other.

LLOYD E. UNG. 

